Increasing the Financial Knowledge of New Zealanders
This year ANZ New Zealand partnered with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, the governing body for South Island tribe Ngāi Tahu, to undertake an Indigenous people’s financial knowledge survey.
The 2010 ANZ Ngāi Tahu Financial Knowledge Survey was completed by 400 Ngāi Tahu members throughout New Zealand over three months. To increase the involvement and ownership of the project among the Ngāi Tahu community, all interviewing work was carried out by Ngāi Tahu members who were employed and trained specifically for the research.
The results of the survey have established an important benchmark and will support efforts to grow financial literacy and ultimately the financial independence of all iwi (tribes) in New Zealand.
The research will also inform the development of programs and initiatives to enhance money management skills. ANZ will support subsequent surveys to monitor improvements in financial knowledge over time.
Building on this partnership, ANZ New Zealand is now working with Ngāi Tahu to tailor and adapt ANZ’s MoneyMinded financial education program to reflect iwi culture and experiences. MoneyMinded Aotearoa (New Zealand) facilitators have been trained and the first Ngāi Tahu MoneyMinded workshops will be held this year. The long-term aim is to offer the MoneyMinded Aotearoa program to iwi throughout New Zealand.